Dance Moms Season 5 episode 9 recap: A little less talk and a little more dancin’

Uh oh, Dance Moms nation. The counter is back.

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I suppose it was only a matter of time. And just for the record, I’d consider using Lifetime-sanctioned photos for these things if, you know, they actually offered some from each — or any — episode. Which they don’t. And what’s a story without pictures? So I make my own. So let’s all just ignore the counter. We do not see you, counter! Lalalala!

As promised, we’re back in Pittsburgh. Holly says she sees L.A. as a success, even if Abby did try to sabotage Nia at every turn — Aubrey O’Day Recording Artist, MattyB no good, general audition. Holly reiterates that the video thing has left the mothers divided: “Them What’s With Abby” and “Them What’s A’gin Her.”

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In either case, Jill (that’s her head behind the 01 — you can tell it’s Jill because WOOLY MAMMOTH VEST!) is happy to be back in the nest, even if there’s tension among the birdies. She’s not happy that Jess is back in the nest, too. But otherwise … pretty happy. Being a Yes-Woman is working out fine.

Melissa, however, is nervously sucking her teeth, which she does a lot lately. Melissa! Stop! Unsightly mouth wrinkles! And far to0 many screen shots like this one.

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Despite the nervous-face, Melissa says she was happy with L.A. and is getting a lot of “neat” feedback from all the appointments Maddie went on. Someone else got some good news too.

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Live! From New York! It’s Mackie Z!
She’ll be singing live at something, but she doesn’t say at what. God, I hope it’s a MattyB concert.

In the studio, Abby gives a rundown of the last competition in L.A, which is the usual no-winners spiel. Also, look who jumped on the cold-shoulder-shirt bandwagon with Holly.

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Abby reminds everyone of Maddie’s Austin and Ally gig and Jill just can’t stop herself She says, well, since everyone in L.A. respects and admires Abby just so much … right?? … I mean, riiiiight?? … perhaps next time all the children will reap the benefits of her popularity? Abby looks momentarily confused by the backhanded compliment. Then she recovers and says that what happened in L.A. is not her fault. Everyone just likes Maddie and Mackenzie the best.

Sure.

Just in case it slipped our minds, Abby moves along to the part where the World’s Longest Hunt For A Maddie Replacement trudges on, even though she thought Brynn might have been The One. Maybe another time. Courtesy of Kira, we find out that Brynn’s 8-year-old brother has the worst type of diabetes and dad isn’t a regular part of his life, so there could be no moving to Pittsburgh.

Pyramid time.
Hell has frozen over. Maddie is bottom of the bottom.
Really?! <pinch> Yes, I’m awake. Maddie’s bottom of the bottom.

Next is Jo Jo. Technical issues. Then Nia. Technical issues. Then Kalani. Unexceptional performances. Abby is sticking to the facts today.

Row two begins with Kendall, who is seriously going to be a Miss America when she gets older. That kid is a knockout. But she only did one number and it wasn’t perfect. Mack gets the two-spot along with some triumphant, end-of-a-Hallmark-movie music to herald the news of her achievements in getting there.

That’s everybody … so who’s picture is at the top? Oh. Of course. Turns out it was only a brief cold spell in hell. It’s Maddie at the top. An amused Kalani says she should just be the whole pyramid. From the mouths of babes …

This week, we are going to Manahawkin, New Jersey — half an hour up the road from Atlantic City — for a World Class Dance Experience. There’s good news and there’s bad news about that. Or good news and better news, depending on whose camp you occupy in Dance Moms nation.

World Class Dance considers 12-year-olds teens. So this is a teen team to them. And once you become a teen, Abby says, she finished with ya. Like finished finished? Promise?

Jill points out that only Nia and Kalani are teens right now, so she’s only finished with those guys, right? Well sort of. One will not be dancing with the group, so as to bring the age level back down to junior.

There will be three solos and one group routine. Wise old Kalani gets the first solo. And hey! It’s a message dance! Called Pretty Little Liars! Because Kira is one, says Abby. Kendall gets the next solo and tries to look happy about that. She brightens up a little when Abby adds that it will be a blues number. Jill says see? Toeing the line pays off, you guys.

I wouldn’t be so sure, Jill, because Nia just got the last solo. I’d say hell has frozen over again, but we all know what’s is coming for poor Nia. And sure enough. Her dance will be called “The Golden Rule” because …wait a second … I need to lie down for this explanation because I am pretty sure I am going to seize.

Abby says this: In life, there are rules. Even in Hollywood, there are rules. (I’m just going to quick stick a hunk of wood between my teeth, just in case.) There’s something called ethics. (Good idea about the wood). Something called loyalty. Something called the Itsy Bitsy Spider went up the waterspout? Oops. Nope. It’s actually something called Don’t Step On People On the Way Up. Because you might see them again when down comes the rain and washes you back out.

Well that should make for a fun dance!

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The group will be called The Domino Effect. Stuff about bad apples and boom boom boom on down the line and what have you.

<choock>

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Dramatic shot of Holly.
<chook>
Jill
<choock>
Jess
<choock>
Kira
<choock>
Jill
<choock>
A bewildered-looking Melissa.

And when they all fall down, we have an amazing human replica of the ALDC logo? No? Man, I’m getting everything wrong today. Also, do not Google “falling dominoes.” You will lose hours.

Abby doesn’t know what we’ll have.

Up in the Mom Loft, Dominoes the Elder get to talking about pyramid while Dominoes the Younger practice. Melissa enjoyed it. Everyone else thought it was a joke. Nonetheless, Jill says we must all respect the will of our teacher. Holly says our teacher is nothing but the finger toppling the first domino.

Lots more discussion of dominoes and falling and failing Abby and why we can’t see eye to eye.

Abby wonders what else Kira is hiding from her. Kira says, what evs, lady … it landed Kalani a sophisticated number … so win! Also, Abby, Kira will see you your cold-shoulder shirt and raise you some tri-cold triceps. Win and win!

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Abby makes a show of banging around on her phone during Nia’s solo practice. Up in the Mom Loft, Holly says it’s ridiculous because she and Nia did nothing wrong. Jill says that means Holly thinks everyone else did something wrong. And she would very much like to belabor the point. Besides, she was proud of Holly for standing her ground, even if she thought she was, you know, wrong.

Then we have a testy little discussion of what “having my back” entails, after which Holly leaves.

The next day, she’s still MIA, so we talk about her until she shows up. Holly explains that she needed a moment of clarity about how she’ll just have to accept that her ethics and standards are higher than everyone else’s.

Ya what now?” says Jill’s face in the direction of Jess.

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It is a bit of a high-horse moment, even for Holly, and even if the message is essentially correct. Jill narrows her eyes. “What did you expect?” she says in a ‘you touch that glass of rosé and I’ll break your fingers” kind of voice. “When you walked away, what did you think would happen?”

Jess tries to break it down for her Mom Loft neighbor: Basically Holly think you guys are putting Abby’s opinion of your daughters before your friendship.

Absolutely, says Holly, which sends Jill into a remarkable, if unintentional, impression of Melissa’s Many Expressions of Denial. The Have-My-Back battle rages on and I’m deadly bored, so I’m going to get a beverage. If they’re still yammering when I get back, I’m going for ice cream next. It’s that kind of Dance Moms night.

Back to practice, where I decide that The Rolling Arches is going to be my next band name. Or maybe Armpit Shot. Or Armpit Shot and the Rolling Arches. Decisions. Speaking of decisions, it’s time for Abby to make the difficult one that she clearly made before we even started this thing, even though she’s explaining it to the mothers like it’s brand-new intel.

The group dance is a no-go for Kalani. Kira protests that Kalani says it’s her favorite dance. Good, says Abby. She’ll get to watch it. Holly tries to make it a teachable moment, but the student doesn’t care to learn.

Let’s go to Manahawkin, where we continue to ride Kira about not taking Abby to task for yanking Kalani from the group. Kira says she just handles Abby different than you lady-chumps. That’s all.

“Stick up for your kid!” Jill chides her. “Try something new!” Jess agrees. Let’s bring it back to the MattyB video, just so Jill can prove she has no idea what the hell she is talking about and say one more time that she yanked Kendall from the MattyB video because Abby said, and she didn’t want to stand up to her. But you do, Kira. You do.

Holly cites destiny.
Destiny-shmestiny says Jess. Mom trumps manager. Case closed.

I’m ignoring Abby’s Hollywood moment in the audience.

Kalani dances first and she is absolutely gorgeous.

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Kendall is next. Her dance suits her beautifully, too. Jill says see? This is the spoils of sitting down and shutting up.

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Nia goes next, and the dance is, at best, a head-scratcher.

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C’mon, Ab! Smile! You choreographed this little gem that’s basically disjointed running around and kicking.

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Exactly.
Four hundred cheers to Nia for injecting it with as much pizazz as she did.

Back in the get-ready, Jo Jo asks Nia if they could hear the song she recorded in L.A. It’s cute as a button and the girls put their hands in the air and boogie. Nia says it’s cool to share.

Jill tries one more time to get Kira to insist on Kalani being in the group dance. In her best first-grade-teacher voice, she asks Kalani wouldn’t she feel better if mama at least tried to do somethin’ about the booboo?

Kalani says she thinks the mothers would be a lot happier if they stopped focusing on fights with Abby. Again. Out of the mouths of babes.

The Dominoes are next.

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The girls are dressed more like French maids than dominoes and we get plenty of shots of Kalani gazing onto the stage from the wings. It’s an OK dance with some interesting moments but I’m not exactly riveted. Opinions?

Results.

Kendall gets fifth. Jill says if Kendall feels good about it, Jill feels good about.
Kalani wins.
See how ya are, you other moms, says Kira in an aside.

The group — rechristened “The DonnaMo Effect” by our announcer — gets first, too.

Holly tries to cheer Nia up a resigned Nia. Your day is coming, she tells her girl. Continue to work on your craft. Use the disappointment to better yourself. The sun will come out tomorrow. Bet your kooky solos that tomorrrooooowwwww …

Jill says Jersey likes them better than L.A. did. She means, like, them them. Not just the judges but the people in the crowd and stuff. It’s like they belong here.

Abby hugs Kalani, says a few words and breezes out, giving the moms plenty of time to freak out about Kalani accepting the group dance trophy with the rest of the girls, when Jo Jo and Nia were not afforded the same back when they were yanked. Kira offers the reason that should warm Jill’s heart: Kalani did it because Abby said so. Jill is not warmed.

Holly doesn’t bother to try to hide her smile.

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Next week, we’re back in Jersey. Plus, Brynn’s back and Cathy’s back and she’s got Erin Babbs with her, too.

So what say you about this stone-cold drudge of an episode, Dance Moms nation? Would a little less talk and a little more action have helped enormously? Or at least a change of subject now and then? What about Nia’s solo? Dance as a weapon? By someone who wouldn’t recognize the Golden Rule if it bit her in the … ? Sound off in the comments section below.

New episodes of Dance Moms premiere Tuesday nights at 9/8CT on Lifetime.

56 Comments

  1. When does Abby have the time to create these new dances for the elite group every week? And find the music and design the costumes…I would love to see a little of that…(other than the themes seem to be based on her current grudge or slight). The themes are timely, so unless she preplans her fights, how does she come up with the dances?

    I am really feeling harsh towards Abby…I think so many of Maddies movements (ie, the back of the hand along the side of her face…Ohh! A drinking game perhaps?) are SO done. Anyway, the thrust of my thought was, if we saw some of the creative process, it might add value to the program. I recently watched some old reruns and Abby, who has always been strict, and overly pro-Maddie, at least she didn’t used to appear to be so delusional…at this point, any question from the Moms, she views as mutiny.

    Re the dance she designed for Nia being sub-par, we saw this time and again when she would pit Chloe against Maddie, and Maddie’s choreography always had more attention than Chloe, or any of her other teammates. No level playing field here…Abby continuously sabotages and then berates and belittles her own dancers (unless their last name happens to be Ziegler).

    • I honestly don’t think she choreographs nearly as many dances as she claims, she has an entire teaching staff, namely Gianna, to do all the leg work for her. I remember in past seasons she mentioned that she had used past programs and that they had won before, so that could be one way to get around creating so-called “new” programs. Also, if you look closely you’ll notice the dances all look alike, same steps, turns, jumps, etc. just rearranged into a different order. This especially happens with the solos (cough….Maddie and McKenzie…cough), it doesn’t take much to reuse choreography and just put it to different music.

      • My guess is that the Lifetime producers pay for and maybe design the costumes. They are just too perfect and often very sophisticated. If you compare season 1 costumes with season 5, they are, with a few exceptions, at an entirely different level. And the choreography is just the same string of leaps, landings, turns, flexed foot and tippy-toe steps, all recycled in number after number. If you watch some of the lyrical solos one after another, you’ll see they are the same. To a lesser extent, the same is true of the group numbers. And the acro numbers are a joke–amazingly flexible girls, but doing exact same excruciatingly painful moves again and again.

  2. Everyone admit it…when Abby said the group dance was the “Domino effect” we all pictured the ending poses were Maddie knocking the other girls down and being the last one standing! I love Maddie but we know how Abby feels Maddie is compared to the other girls and I for sure thought when I saw the dance that it was only gonna be an extra second b4 Maddie took them all out!

    • Yup, I’m surprised it didn’t happen at the beginning and Maddie would just dance around the corpses….

        • Well, that certainly sounds encouraging for all the paying students who Abby does not consider to be “the one.” What a mean, spiteful old things she is.

    • Every dance is alwayssss the same. Maddie always has the most solo choreography in the group dances and they always end either with her in the middle, everyone else laying down and her standing up or with her on the complete opposite side of the stage from everyone. Oh, and she always exits the stage on the opposite side from the other girls. Abby is always breaking new ground…

  3. Hey, Lori, not to be picky or anything, but isn’t this episode 9, not 8?
    I’m sure that counter thing has thrown everone off 😉

    • Whoops, now that I look at the title again I see that you changed it to 9. I was still looking at the address bar (and the counter, obviously 😉 ).

    • Yeah, I arsed it up. Forgot to schedule the post. Called it the wrong thing. Mama needs a vacation. I changed it in the title, but can’t change the URL or various other links won’t work. Because I’m dumb.

      • My bad for not seeing you changed it in the title until after I posted the comment (although I could have sworn the title still said 8 until my comment posted — those dang counters are playing with my mind! 😉 )

        • And if Abby can blame everything on the parents, you can blame all mistakes on the counters (or anything else you feel inclined to).

  4. The little angels in Ireland showing their true colors, then maddie tries to cover it up:

    • Do you expect them to be perfect “American Girl” dolls? They are children who have grown up in the public eye, but they all have their own opinions and personalities. The fact that the four of them are in agreement says far more about JoJo than about themselves. Do I think they should have mocked her speech impediment? No, I don’t. However, I’m not going to slag them off for it. It’s something the vast majority of people would do if questioned about someone they didn’t necessarily like that had the same issue. However, the difference is that everything we say is not videotaped and put straight online!! These girls are young people, and are entitled to express their own opinions on people. Judging from your previous posts you are very strongly “Team Chloe”. However, please stop looking for opportunities to bash these girls at every turn!! Chloe has a youtube account, maybe your time would be better spent watching her videos than picking on 11 year old girls, hmm??

      • These girls are portrayed on a tv show a certain way. They have built up a false persona, all the while mocking, hassling, and trying hard to ruin the Lukasiacs. So sue me because I will post these and expose them.

        BYW, you sound like one of melissas and millers paid “hassle anyone who dares say a word about us” people.

      • I think this is just a sign of how reality TV spills over into reality. Abby and the Lifetime producers just make any sane person angry. It’s hard to see young girls bullied on TV…. and then to see the impact it has on them in a video like this. I can see your point that the first part of this video is how any gang of girls would act when one of their team is not around, especially one who is so outspoken as Jojo. However, I do think the girls come across as very hypocritical when they profess to “love” the girl they have just enthusiastically hauled over the coals. The reasoning that they are in the “public eye” cuts both ways. Yes, it must be awful for them that every word they speak ends up on youtube, but DM is five seasons in and they (and their parents/teacher) should know better by now. I’m not sure anyone is picking on 11 year old girls, here–just commenting on the very real effects of reality TV, not just on the participants but on its ability to polarize viewers. That is the aspect of DM I find most interesting–what happens when you introduce young unformed yougn people into scenarios that are manipulated to appear “real”. I think it has to have some influence on the psychology and sociology of the girls, who are in a particularly vulnerable stage of their development into young adults. Fascinating stuff.

      • Love your uploads, Kenny, on other young girls dancing, by the way. It helps keep the “reality” of the performances of the DM kids in check. They are all wonderfully talented–as are so many young girls who have spent their young lives in dance studios.

      • These girls (who are making fun of JoJo) are flat out bullies, just like Abby. Their mums are perfect role models. Not.

    • Debra, please look up facts before complaining. This is FAR from “paying guests”. This is part of the spin off show “Dance Mums with Jennifer Ellison”. It is like Dance Moms, but with dancers from Liverpool in England. This was recorded and shown as a precursor to the initial airing of Dance Mums, to get the audience to watch. Again, NOT paying customers, but part of an English Dance Moms

      • I don’t care if they think miller is the second coming. The way she treated that woman and her little girl is wrong. Am I going to show these? Damn right I am.

      • Surely the mothers are paying the Dance Studio for lessons, just as the moms in the US have a contract with Abby Lee Miller? That makes them paying customers, doesn’t it? True, we are seeing this clip in isolation–it would be fun to see the entire episode and compare with the US version. I’m from the UK (but live in US), so it is of special interest to me.

  5. Well, Lori, as I was watching this episode, lying on the floor, wearing zebra pants, a cold-shoulder shirt with a wooly mammoth vest, a big bow in my hair and a hunk of wood in my mouth, I thought “Wow. This episode is a real Yawn. What on earth will Lori write about?” But you did the Dance Moms Nation proud. I burst out laughing when I heard “DonnaMo Effect”, too. Luckily I wasn’t out of the room getting ice cream at the time.

  6. Once again I am sickened by the way that Abby rewrites history. L.A. was all the mom’s fault and had nothing to do with her abandoning the girls almost from the get go. Poor, poor Nia. She isn’t the best dancer and Abby couldn’t wait to highlight that this week. That was her intention, I am sure. By ignoring her while she was rehearsing, she was punishing her for allowing her mother to run things for her instead of Abby. I think that Abby is going to continue to punish Nia by giving her more solo’s. Either that or she will use this week as a reason not to give her anymore. This solo did not play to her strengths but played to her weaknesses and made her look worse than she is. Her feet are her big downfall, but part of that is genetic and part of it is a medical issue that they explained a long time ago, but I can’t remember it now. I know that Nia work’s really hard…probably as hard as Maddie, but the fact that her feet don’t improve speaks to the fact that they can’t improve because of these problems. She certainly isn’t lazy. She does much better in the group routines. Knows how to blend, unlike JoJo. Everything that Abby did this week was reminiscent of the stuff that she did to Chloe. It still is sickening that she takes her anger at the mothers out on the children.

    I agree with Kenny about Holly and her sanctimonious ‘my morals are better than yours’ attitude. Where was she when Brooke, Paige and Chloe were being abused. I can’t believe that she has never put 2 and 2 together like Jill finally did. Jill acted like she was so smart to have realized that crappy behavior from Mom equals crappy behavior from Abby towards your kid. They all seemed to have been brainwashed by someone. Probably Lifetime’s promises as John said. I totally believe that people are being paid to trash Chloe on social media. Abby has to be beside herself that one of ‘HER’ dancers is making a name without her pulling the strings. I say that we should all support Chloe the best that we can and not allow these monsters to take away from her now that she has finally gotten away. I wish so much that Christi had wizened up sooner. She should have left with Kelly, but she, too had eaten the cracker or drunk the punch from Lifetime that promised…whatever. She, like Holly, didn’t support Kelly when she should have. I hope that they are still as good friends as they once were now that they are all away from this crap. Although..,.I guess if Christi had pulled Chloe out then, we never would have had that season of Chloe abuse that helped everyone get behind Chloe even more than they already were.

    The problem with them making Nia the current underdog is that she doesn’t have the talent to back it up. She probably won’t get an offer from another dance company. I feel so bad for her. I hope that she can find success with her singing or somewhere, but…as far as being a professional dancer, if she does not get away from Abby, she is going to continue to be shown in her worst light, which is what Abby intends. She tried doing it to Chloe, but Chloe’s strong technique won over in the end and now she is shining so brightly. If you haven’t already, check out her channel on YouTube. There are several dances and cute little videos like ‘what’s in my dance bag.’ It’s so good to see Chloe happy. We don’t have to deal with Christi, either which is as it should be. I hope that the video that she’s in that someone posted last week is a super success, too.

    John, if it is true that Abby and Melissa, or Abby and Lifetime are paying people to try to sabotage Chloe’s success on social media sites, then I hope that you, or other people that know for sure that this is happening, will approach Christi with your proof so that she can take action. Cyber bullying is the worst. Especially cyber bullying of a kid. Definitely something that I wouldn’t put past Abby.

    Who else doesn’t care about Kira’s past? Lifetime must have been aware of all of this before bringing Kalani into the fold. I think the airing of it on the show is reprehensible and another low blow from people trying to get Kalani off the team. I actually hope that Kira takes Kalani as far away from Abby as possible before Abby starts trying to play the games that she is playing with Nia with Kalani. At least Kalani seems to have enough maturity to see through it all. Jill trying to stir the pot by trying to make Kira confront Abby was ridiculous. Abby made it clear that she pulled Kalani because of her age so that the girl’s could be ‘juniors’. Still being in NJ next week, she will probably not dance in next week’s group number, either. I can totally see Abby bringing in little Sarah from her studio and Brynn to bring the age average down some more. I think this might be another reason for Abby’s abuse of Nia. Nia is 13 now. Chloe is 13. Kalani being 14 is definitely a problem. Brooke was 16. The fact that Abby can’t just say, ‘hey guys…you can’t be on the team anymore because you are getting too old.’ No,…she wants to break their spirits so that they won’t take ‘her teachings’ to some other studio. Once again I say, ‘Hurray for Chloe for getting away and being a success without Abby!’

    • Sorry Kathryn, but I completely disagree with you about Nia. That kid works her butt off, and has shown us that when given the right material, in a genre that works for her, she can and will step up and win. There are tons of different styles that aren’t dependent on perfect feet or legs, but of course Abby is so pigeon-holed into the attitude that lyrical and contemporary are the only things her girls are capable of, we never see any other styles. Modern style is something that Nia would do amazing at, her body type would work well with it, and I can almost guarantee, you won’t see a perfectly pointed foot in any of those routines. As was mentioned last week, I would love to see Debbie Allen work with her. First because she’s another African American dancer, and also because she could bring out that inner performer in Nia. No her body type isn’t perfect, is the kid going to be a tiny little prima ballerina? Probably not. Could she perform on Broadway someday given the right guidance and material? Most definitely. Also, her “genetic feet problem” is a pain management disorder brought about by stress that manifests itself in her feet and joints. No it more than likely won’t go away, but it is manageable when she isn’t under stress, and I think we can all agree that with all Abby puts that kid through, it’s a wonder she can even walk, much less dance.

      • I did not take Kathryn’s post regarding Nia the same as Michelle did. I felt she made two separate statements – one: genetic and two: the pain management disorder. I find statement one re genetics as out of line-of course she was born with bad feet. True she may have large feet but so do many other dancers. Lets refer to only issues that pertain to dance.

        • Some people just have “bad” feet for dance. They may not be flexible, they may not point the way needed for ballet, they may not have the appropriate arches for ballet.

          It’s not being mean. It’s being matter-of-fact about what kind of dance is best suited for Nia as a dancer in the body she has. Ballet clearly isn’t it at this point in time. That said, she could be a beautiful modern dancer, and she’d fit in marvelously with some of the balletic and more athletic dance companies!

          • Sorry for the misunderstanding about Nia. I did not mean to disparage her in any way, shape or form. I said that she works hard, probably as hard as Maddie (maybe even harder). I couldn’t remember what her foot issue was, just that she had some kind of issue that they mentioned a few seasons ago. As for genetic, what I meant was that some people are just born with feet that aren’t perfect for dancing. They don’t point as well, which makes it appear that they aren’t pointing as much at times. I was a dancer and saw this many times. Nia has done great with growing the way that she has, but this has continued to be an issue for her since the show started. Of course Abby believes that Nia isn’t trying to improve, but I believe that she has improved, but as far as foot point goes, she probably won’t get much better.
            I also said that ‘if she doesn’t get away from Abby, Abby will continue to show her in her worst light.’ I was sort of ranting, so that might not have come off correctly. I could have worded it better than saying she didn’t have the talent to back it up. Unfortunately, Abby probably isn’t going to give her any more dances that are perfect for her type of dancing and that work to her best advantage. It would be great if she could get someone like Debbie Allen to work with her, but as long as Holly keeps her in the Abby fold to give her the exposure that the show gives, Nia will continue to be shown in her worst light by Abby because Abby is bound and determined to get rid of her just as she did the other girls that she got rid of. Abby seems to think that if she is horrible enough, the Mom will eventually say ‘too much’ and leave. The fact that Lifetime allows it, is horrible. Nia is a terrific jumper and as I said, she has the talent to blend, which is so important in the group dances. Paige had this talent, too although she also, wasn’t as strong a dancer as some of the other girls. Nia has also grown in her ability to make the best of what she is given, but that dance she was given this week was horrible. It accentuated most of her negative features. If you watch Kalani’s dance and then immediately after, watch Nia dance, the differences were glaring. I do still think that if she doesn’t get away from Abby, she will not have the best chance of getting into another competition dance company after the show ends unless Holly does her work and finds a great modern dance company. There is also the fact that once puberty really hits, Nia is probably going to grow to be at least close to the height of her mother, which can be a big detriment to her dancing, especially if Abby and the other teacher’s don’t work to help her get through the changes to your ‘center’ that growth can cause. Chloe grew really fast over two seasons and struggled a bit with each spurt, but overcame it.

            From all the talk, dance isn’t her biggest passion anyway. That is why I said that I hope that she can continue with the singing. I really wish the best for her. That if she wants to continue with dancing that she can find a company where her best abilities could be highlighted, but lyrical and contemporary are not her strong suit in solo’s and as long as Abby is out to get her, it will be hard to watch. I hope that Abby doesn’t crush her spirit because she appears to be a great kid who has her head on right and doesn’t allow Abby to get to her, but any kid can only take so much. I hope that if they do stay, that Holly will back off so that Abby won’t continue to punish Nia. But…judging from the past, Abby won’t forgive or forget and she will fulfill her personal vendetta against Nia because, NOBODY TALKS TO HER THAT WAY…NOBODY!! and since Holly did, then…well…we will see.

  7. In honor of wolly mammoth vest:

    Dance Moms
    Meet the Dance moms
    They’re the dance school TV family
    From the town of Pittsburgh
    They’re a show made for reality

    Let’s cry with the dancers at the meet
    Through the courtesy of sickle feet

    When you’re watching Dance Moms
    You’ll have a Flabby Abby chew time
    An Abby-doo time

    You’ll watch it one last time

      • Thanks Annika, your comments are so thoughtful and I’m just being goofy. In real life I don’t make fun of people.

        I hate it when reality gets in the way of a reality show, Collins should find a way to keep Brynn on the show.

        • I completely agree about Brynn, from what I’ve seen in her videos, she could definitely give Maddie a run for her money. I just hope that if she is on the show going forward, that her mother doesn’t let that monster get to her out of spite. Clearly Abby sees how much potential and talent that little girl has, but leave it up to her to stomp the crap out of it.

    • I may or may not have spit coffee all over after reading your latest lyrics John……your best work yet lol.

  8. Holly is really starting to irritate me with her entitled attitude, her “holy than thou” person and her assumption that she is always right and her refusal to even attempt to look at anything from the other mothers point of view. Over the last 4 season when Chloe, Brooke and Paige were experiencing the same (or worse) than Nia is now she sat there mute, saying nothing. But now that it is her child EVERYONE else should help her and aid her in berating Abby. Just, no. She needs to take herself and her entitled attitude and get over it.

    Now, to the routines. Kalani had exceptional technique. Her flexibility, feet and perfect mix between power ad grace is something no one else on the team has. The choreography, on the other hand, is exactly like what everyone else on the team has. Boring, stale, and like every other solo she has had since joining dance moms.

    Kendall was good and the improvement in her since last season is clear. However, I do find her dancing a little boring. Everything is “right”, but I just find her movements lethargic and slow. I’d wish she’d just fight for it more and make it look like she wants it.

    Nia wasn’t good. I’m sorry, I hate saying that about a child, but she wasn’t. Technique was very off, she looked awkward and her foot placement was very sloppy. However I will also admit that her choreography was severely lacking so all the blame cannot be placed on her.

    The group dance was good, but the dancers no longer gel as they used to. You can tell Abby has realized this too as they now have a lot of individual parts in the dances, where they are all doing something different. In Season 3 this would have been unheard of. JoJo is always unsure of choreography, Mackenzie is too small, Kendall too slowing her movements. Nia is better in groups than in solos, but I do think when you put her next to dancers like Maddie her lack of proper technique is highlighted. Maddie, as per usual, was superb. I loved the choreography, even if it was individualized.

    Now, my assignment for this week. Three solos in the show, so I shall also provide 3 solos. First, Chloe East with Vol de l’Aime.

      • This one wasn’t at a competition, it was a master class taught by Blake McGrath in Calgary, Alberta Canada. Chloe should also have a video listed from this event. Tate was helping teach some of the younger kids along with Chloe.

    • And finally, number 3, Bostyn Brown, with Mad World. Bostyn is 10 years old (Kenzie’s age), Tate 11 (JoJo’s age) and Chloe 12 (Kendall and Maddie’s age).

      • The choreography of this piece is brilliant. She dances it brilliantly, too. These kids must not ever be at the same events that the ALDC are at. Otherwise Maddie would never win. Maddie is a great little dancer, but I would so like to see her doing something challenging like this instead of Abby’s tired and worn stuff.

    • This is a great little dancer. She has to be careful, though or she is going to become overextended all the way around and that breaks the line. I wrote about Bostyn first, so will say again that these kids must not ever be at the same events as the ALDC. Didn’t care as much for the Tate number, although she, too is a great little dancer.

      • Hi Kathryn, thanks for the reply.

        I too love Bostyn. She is from the same studio as Kalani, Brynn and Sarah R (Club Dance). Has to be stated that there is no comparison between that studio and the ALDC.

        I like Tate as a dancer, I did think the choreography relied too much on right leg extensions though. It’s interesting what you said about Chloe East being over flexible, so much that it breaks the line. That was something that I had never really considered but now that you say it I realize how true it is!! Thanks for that!

        Similar to you, I have zero interest in Kira’s past. I actually quite like her and her refusal to rise to these taunts about her on the show. She seems grounded, and knows what is best for herself and her child.

    • I hate it when dancers do this “trick” in the still shot. It physically hurts me to see you put your leg behind your ears. Stop it. It’s not pretty when it goes that far.

      • Yeah it’s not “pretty” to look at, but judges love when dancers show how flexible and what great balance they have, especially the acro routines.

  9. Jojo still can’t count and still doesn’t know the routines. How they “win” first is beyond me.

    • Lifetime bought and paid for “competitions”. That bunch in the audience were charged a big fee to get in the door.

      miller needs to see a head shrinker. seriously.

      I do not doubt one bit that there are paid people bashing Chloe. But to me, every time i see them all i think is “your jealousy is showing”. Leave her alone already. She is off that sorry excuse for a show.

  10. Never in a million years did I think I’d be saying this but……I’m starting to like Jess and Jojo LOL. Who woulda thunk that Jessalyn, of all people, would be the voice of reason????? Jill, I wanted to throat-punch every time she opened her mouth, I think she’s surpassed Melissa in the boot-licking, butt-kissing, brown-nosing department.

    Kalani’s solo was beautiful, that kid has the best toes on the team, her lines are gorgeous. I’m glad she took first overall, I think she was in serious jeopardy if she didn’t pull out a win.

    Kendall was STUNNING in that blue costume, and I agree Lori, she is gorgeous enough easily to win a few beauty pageants. Could you just picture Jill on a show like Toddlers and Tiaras though? OMG, no one needs that much cray cray, not even TLC LOL.

    Poor Nia……I felt she did okay with what she had to work with, but you could really tell she had no time to clean the dance or actually learn something that looked like anything. I did like her costume though, she looks great in the bright colors.

    I enjoyed the group dance, the girls actually looked cohesive and synchronized for the first time all season. But again, it was more of the same steps, jumps, turns, faces, blah blah blah, of every other dance they’ve ever done that was supposed to be disturbing and dark.

    Now, my burning question is, is there a link out there anywhere about Kira’s brushes with the law? I’m morbidly curious LOL.

    • I’ve come to the conclusion that these moms are being promised something in the future (most likely never intended to really happen) by either LT, Abby, or both in order to get them into this cult-like no-comment state. Its like they’re brainwashed & they have no say in their daughters well being. Its just weird & cultish. Why else would they stay. And Abby shows she is still obsessed w/Christi & Chloe. Her manipulative comments such as “don’t do to your kid what Christi did..” only proves she still feels the need to marginalize Chloe’s success post DM. She and Melissa cannot stand the fact that Chloe is successful and booking jobs left & right w/o LT or Abby. Abby & Melissa continue to this day to pay a group of ppl to harass & bully Lukasiaks all over social media, Facebook, Twitter, msg boards, articles, etc bc they want nothing more than to trash talk & destroy Chloes marketability. The world is taking notice that Chloe is better than Maddie but was being hidden behind easy choreo designed not to win and manipulative lying comments to make C&C look bad. Such a shame that Abby is a vile disguesting person in real life & blames it on edited drama. Its not edited drama, not Abby the child abusing bully part. Thats the way she is in real life. So I’m thinking someone is filling these moms full of broken promises to keep them hanging on. If they all followed in Christi & Chloes footsteps and moved on, there’d be no show. And yes Michelle there is proof of Kiras arrest. I even saw it myself. @Johnbr3548 also has some docs posted on his Twitter page of Kiras arrest, custody agreements and Jill’s criminal arrest for writing bad checks the same yr Kira was arrested (2005). Arizona criminal records can be accessed online. When she was arrested, she used her maiden name Salazar. Pull it up by Kira Ann Salazar. Her divorce/custody records are also public in Arizona family court. Abby knew all this about Kira. She is playing dumb for added TV drama. She made reference to it on air back when Kira left AlDC. During pyramid she commented that Kira was more concerned about hanging out with her boyfriend than Kalani dancing, something along those lines. Abby knew Kira lost custody of Jax in her second divorce with Jason A Girard. On a last note, in true manipulative Abby fashion, there is no doubt in my mind that Abby orchestrated the other moms to spill the beans. I think Abby realizes that having Kalani may be a bad thing for Maddie. Kalani is a better dancer, she’s beautiful, mature, stands out in on film. Abby most likely is thinking Kakani’s more employable & may get the better jobs. She knew this about Chloe too. She had to destroy Chloe so Christi would not have her in Hollywood. I think she will soon get rid of Kilani but use others to do it to save face. Can’t have more ratings plummet bc of her abusive ways like they did when Chloe left. Plus, she likes Kalani and won’t want to be the bad guy this time. That’s what the moms are for.

      • Awesome, thank you, I’ll definitely check it out! And I completely agree, there has to be some incentive for the moms to stick around, at least in Holly’s case.

      • I have no proof whatsoever, but i think Lifetime might have given miller the impression they would buy her a studio in L.A., then saw the ratings tank when the Lukasiacs left, and pulled the rug from under her and all she got was a practice room in another studio. She was pissed and she’s not that good an actress. My best guess for that L.A fiasco,,,

        I cannot prove this either but I heard that Lifetime let Christi out of her contract (season 5) because of miller’s vile remark about Chloe’s eye, and to leave she had to agree not to say where/if Chloe was dancing for a year. Once that year was up, now Chloe is doing her you tube videos and talks freely about Studio 19, a studio I immediately fell in love with and promote them where I can. I am delighted to see her dancing with those lovely ladies, her own age, actually dancing, smiling, and having fun.

        • Neither one of those scenarios would surprise me in the least, I think you may be onto something….that sounds like something Lifetime would do to try and save face, too little too late.

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About Lori Acken 1195 Articles
Lori just hasn't been the same since "thirtysomething" and "Northern Exposure" went off the air.